Week 8 Videos

I chose the two videos: Greek Art & the Human Figure, along with The Greek Awakening: Art from the 5th Century because it was an extension of what I watched in the first video “More Human than Human” and the text. I then chose Cairo Museum for the third video just because the title seemed like something that would interest me most from the list.
The first required viewing was very interesting how the perception of art from way back is the same as today in some respect. Most men still view women mainly for their breasts and private parts, and do not think they can do much, or want them to talk (reason for no face or arms on statue). What they thought was a gross exaggerated body is now a reality in America. The Egyptian slender body is hard to find in America. The text talked about the statue, Venus of Willendorf as well and why it was thought to be the first know relic. It took the Greek’s philosophy of math and science to develop the anatomically correct body.
The second video I watched, Greek Art and the Human Figure, continued about art in the 5th century , except it explained the Acropolis, pottery and the bright colors, and the development of statues with realism, clothing flowing and sense of movement in the sculptures.
The third video, Greek Awakening, talked about the Parthenon as the symbol of Greece and its perfect symmetry. It’s freize, the sculptured horseman around the wall of Parthenon, is now in a museum. I also learned the theatre at Epidavros is the largest of its kind and hosts major religious and political gatherings.
Cairo Museum was very interesting about how the Queen’s tomb was discovered and all the artifacts contained in the museum, half not even displayed. I did not know about tomb robbing or there was such a thing as a sarcophagi for shrews. After 100 years the “Kai” statue was finally put on display there.
I really enjoyed watching these videos. For me, it has been easier to understand the material than reading the text.